Denver Broncos head coach John Fox has hit back at comments from Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay about Peyton Manning.

Irsay suggested that the Colts moved on from the All-Pro to have a better chance of winning more Super Bowls in the future after winning just once in 15 years with the 37-year-old as their quarterback.

"I saw the comments [from Irsay] and to be honest with you I thought it was a bit of a cheap shot," Fox told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "To me, in my opinion, they were disappointing and inappropriate.

"I mean, Peyton would never say anything. He's too classy to do that. But they sounded a little ungrateful and unappreciative to me for a guy that has set a standard, won a Super Bowl, won division titles, won four MVP awards.

"I'd be thankful with that one Super Bowl ring because there's a lot of people that don't have one."

The Broncos face the Colts on Sunday as Manning returns to his old team for the first team since leaving in 2012.